Fisherman's chilling find at the bottom of Borumba Dam

Stuart Cumming
Reporter
Stuart studied journalism at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba. He worked briefly at Central Queensland News and Warwick Daily News. He has worked as a reporter at The Chronicle since July 2009.

Sunshine Coast Crime Group officer Detective Inspector Dave Drinnen said the State Coroner handed down findings in 2012 that Mr Gatehouse was dead, but had no details on where, when or how his death had occurred.

Mr Gatehouse, from Tasmania, had been living in Kenilworth and was heading north to see a family member when he disappeared.

"His father, who was in Tasmania, he reported him as a missing person, obviously concerned for him that he didn't show up when he was going to visit his brother," Det Insp Drinnen said.

Mr Gatehouse would have turned 58 on Thursday.

"There were no leads back then that someone was responsible for the death of Mr Gatehouse," Det Insp Drinnen said.

"However... we will review the investigation report (and) have a look at that with the new information we now have."

Det Insp Drinnen said police were also hopeful of providing some closure to Mr Gatehouse's family.

"It's something that the family has had to live with for an extremely long period of time."

He said results of forensic examinations being conducted on skeletal remains in the car would need to be finalised before they could confirm whether or not they had found the man missing for 13 years.

He would neither confirm nor deny reports a gun was also retrieved from Mr Gatehouse's car.

"At this stage it is far too early in the investigation to be making any speculation as to who the deceased person that was located in that vehicle," Det Insp Drinnen said.

Anyone with information which they believe could be relevant to the investigation is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.